2009 Mitsubishi i MiEV

Will Mitsu's little electric city car come to the U.S.? Possibly.

As yet another sign of how small the world is getting, the L.A. appearance of the 2009 Mitsubishi i MiEV electric car wasn't to announce that the car had gone on sale in Japan. Rather, it was to test the feasibility of exporting the car to the U.S.

The original concept for the i MiEV is the Mitsubishi i, a diminutive 659-cc 3-cylinder city car, a so-called "kei" car that is quite popular in the Japanese domestic market. The original i MiEV concept employed tiny hub-mounted electric motors to provide propulsion. That has been abandoned in favor of a more traditional electric motor driving the rear wheels. The motor produces 63 horsepower and propels the car to a top speed of 75 mph.

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The vehicle is equipped with lithium-ion batteries and Mitsubishi says it is capable of traveling about 100 miles between charges. When it comes to recharging, however, the i MiEV is slow on standard 110-volt household current, taking up to 14 hours for a complete recharge. However, a more industrial 3-phase 208-volt industrial hookup can do an 80-percent charge in about 30 minutes.

While the i MiEV is cute and seats four, this practical city car will have a cost hurdle if it gets the green light for U.S. export. The gas-powered i car in Japan retails for $10,000 to $13,000, while the full electric version will cost double that. Add in American crash standards and the level of creature comforts we've become accustomed to, and the price could go well beyond $30,000.